Island Pork Tenderloin

The past few times I have cooked pork I used recipes that feature a lot of peppers, chili powder, and overall Southwestern or Mexican flavors - what Jon and I call "our kind of flavors." Last week I decided to go with other flavors and decided on a sweeter recipe, something I don't do often and as Jon says, things that aren't our kind of food. To explain, we both are fans of savory over sweet, and don't like fruit in our food - you'll never see either of us eating a salad with dried cranberries in it.

Anyway, back to the recipe. I chose this recipe for Island Pork Tenderloin from the blog Pennies on a Platter. I made a few changes and additions, noted below.

Ingredients

• 2 1-lb pork tenderloins

For spice rub:

• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon - I omitted this; the brown sugar would be enough sweet for me

For the glaze:

• 1 c packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp Tabasco
• Added: 1/3 c chicken broth
• Added: rind of one orange, grated using a microplane

Directions

• Coat the pork with the spice rub
• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large oven-proof pan over moderately high heat
• Add pork and sear it until golden brown on all sides. Remove from heat.
• Mix the glaze ingredients and brush them onto all sides of the pork.
• Cover the pan and transfer it to a 350 degree oven until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover it, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
  

I loved the addition of the orange rind! I think it is what brought all of the flavors together. I am glad I omitted the cinnamon - I really don't see it going with this dish at all.

Making pork tenderloin is such a simple way to create a great meal. Just pair it with some roasted potatoes and veggies or a salad, and done! Everything can cook in the oven at the same time, too.